Carnival Queen The Sequel
by Rikki8879
Summary: Set after the events in Carnival Queen. I recommend to read that story first.


_Since Carnival started yesterday, I thought I could as well write a sequel to my story Carnival Queen. I suggest you read that first. Hope you enjoy this story._

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It had been two weeks since they had returned from Germany. Two weeks which Clarisse tried to avoid the curious glances Mia gave her and … more importantly… the looks she got from Joseph. Though she had been drunk that evening in Germany, she hadn't been drunk enough not to remember in the next morning.

Oh yes, Clarisse did remember the kiss. The kiss she had given Joseph before she retired for the night. They hadn't talked about it but Clarisse knew that they had to. The only problem was that she didn't know what to tell him. There was a part of her that wanted to scream out her love for her head of security but the bigger part told her to keep quiet and try to forget about her feelings. Though she had a feeling that Joseph might return her affection, she wasn't quite sure about it. And after all, she was the queen of Genovia. She couldn't just make a fool out of herself in front of her head of security just because she felt like a love-sick teenager. Like she had never felt before…

"Oh keep quiet," Clarisse murmured to herself as she sat at her desk. Actually she was supposed to go through some correspondence. Charlotte would be here any minute to collect the mail which had to be sent out but Clarisse just couldn't concentrate on the letters. Everything seemed so pathetic compared to that feeling inside…

"Did you say something, grandma?" Mia had entered the queen's office unnoticed by said queen.

"Uhm… no, sorry darling. I was more talking to myself." Clarisse rose from her chair and stretched quite unceremoniously before she went over to her granddaughter and kissed her on the cheek.

"Oh dear, that's how it starts," Mia grinned. She couldn't resist teasing her grandmother a little. Clarisse tried to give her a glare but failed when she saw the twinkle in Mia's eyes.

"You're quite cheeky today, young lady," Clarisse managed to say though it didn't came out the way it was supposed to.

"Yes, well, I'm sorry, grandma. Actually… I wondered if you'd like to go dancing with me," Mia asked.

"What? It's really nice of you to ask, dear, but… I guess I just do another type of dancing than you do." Clarisse smiled at the girl in front of her.

"Well, I know. But this is more… This is more your type of dancing. And Joe will be there too," Mia said.

"Oh dear," Clarisse said before she sat down in a nearby chair.

"Hey, you've been acting quite weird around each other ever since that night in Germany. And don't deny it, I'm not stupid." Mia sat down next to her grandmother and gave her a stern look. Of course she had already realized that there must have been something between her grandmother and Joseph to make them feel uncomfortable around each other.

"No, of course you're not stupid. It's just…" Clarisse's voice trailed off. She didn't really know how to put it. And confiding in her granddaughter where her love life was concerned was highly unsettling.

"Come on, grandma. You can talk to me. I know that you're sweet on each other, everyone knows that. So what happened after I left? Did you invite him to your suite and he… couldn't keep up?" Mia said with a grin.

"Mia!" Clarisse exclaimed. Of course she was aware that her granddaughter was a young woman, and she had always guessed that the girl might have a rather… juicy imagination. But that was… But wait a minute.

"And what was that about me and Joseph being sweet on each other?" Clarisse demanded to know. She wasn't sure of her feelings herself but apparently the whole palace was gossiping about her and Joseph. Just great.

"Oh… well, you know. It's really obvious. The looks you give him when you think that nobody pays attention. The way that he's always near you – and not just because of his job, the way he looks at you and… well, he always seems to touch you a little longer than necessary. For example when helping you into the limousine or something. And don't tell me you haven't noticed."

"No, actually I hadn't. But… do you really think he likes me?" Clarisse asked, looking rather confused.

"Like you? That's the understatement of the century. He's crazy for you, that's more like it. So what happened in Germany?" Mia hadn't forgotten about her original question though she had to admit that it was actually quite fascinating how oblivious her grandmother was to her own feelings and the obvious signs from Joseph.

"Well… after you left, he brought me to my door… and… I…. " Clarisse couldn't quite bring herself to saying it.

"You did what?" Mia insisted.

"Oh, alright, I kissed him," Clarisse said.

"Oh, that's wonderful, grandma. So why are you so funny around each other?" Mia didn't really see the problem.

"I don't know. It's just… I felt like I crossed a line. And we haven't talked about it since," Clarisse admitted. At the moment she felt quite stupid for not talking to Joseph right away. Everything Mia had said seemed to make sense.

"Why don't you talk to him now? Now's as good as any time. He's waiting for me outside but I guess I can't stand in the way of love," Mia said with a grin.

Clarisse looked unsure but Mia didn't give her a chance to say no. Before Clarisse could react in any way, Mia had opened the door and asked Joseph in.

"Well, I'll go to my room. I'll see you for lunch grandma, and don't forget what I told you," Mia said with a wink before she left the room.

Clarisse tried to nod but she couldn't. She swallowed hard.

"Hello, Joseph."

"Your majesty." Joseph nodded.

"Oh please, call me Clarisse. It seems so… unfit after what happened." Clarisse moved over to the sofa and indicated for Joe to sit down next to her. A curious look had appeared on his face.

"God, I don't know where to begin." Clarisse had folded her hands in her lap and was now looking down at them. Suddenly another hand came into view, a hand that laid down on hers and caressed them gently.

"Well, then let me start, Clarisse," Joseph said, never taking his hand from hers. "I'm sorry for being so… such an idiot after we'd returned from Germany. I shouldn't have interpreted more into the kiss than just friendship. And you do know that I'm your friend, right?"

Finally Clarisse managed to look up.

"Yes, I know. But… what if you didn't interpret too much in the kiss?" Without realising it, she held her breath.

Joseph looked at her, unbelieving what he had just heard. It couldn't be.

"If that were true, I'd kiss you right now," he finally said.

"What are you waiting for then?" was all, Clarisse was able to whisper before Joseph pulled her close and captured her lips with his. Gently he encircled her with his arms, caressing her back with his hands while savouring her lips with his. All too soon they had to break apart for air.

"I love you, Joseph," Clarisse said. It was good finally to be able to say it out loud. And she knew that, though at the moment she was still queen, all she ever wanted was there in front of her. She wanted to marry this man as soon as Mia was queen and spend the rest of her life with him.

"And I love you, Clarisse."


End file.
